Part 42 (1/2)
”It's queer I don't get more word from New York,” remarked d.i.c.k one evening, when they had reached a city which I shall call Pemberton. ”Dad acknowledged that telegram of Sam's, but he didn't say a word about that Lansing deal or anything about the Bruno bonds.”
”Well, let us hope that no news is good news,” returned Tom. ”Anyway, I'm not going to worry until I know there is something to worry about.”
That evening came word from Valley Brook, stating that everything was going along well at the farm and that Mr. Anderson Rover was confining himself closely to business in New York.
The Mississippi was crossed, and then the tourists headed in the direction of Colorado Springs. It was their intention to make the Springs the turning point of the trip, with a side trip by the cog railway to Pike's Peak. They would return by the way of Denver. Some days later found them in Topeka, where they had decided to rest up for a day or two. During that time only one short telegram had come from Mr.
Anderson Rover, stating that the Bruno bonds had been sold at a fair profit, but that the Lansing deal was still uncertain.
”We stand to win or lose quite a lot of money on that Lansing deal,”
d.i.c.k explained to Sam. ”It's rather a peculiar affair. The whole thing is being engineered by a Wall Street syndicate.”
On the morning of the second day in Topeka, when Sam and Grace and some of the others had gone shopping, d.i.c.k heard one of the bellboys call his name.
”Telegram,” he said to Tom. ”I hope this is from dad and that it contains good news.”
The telegram proved to be what is known as a Night Letter, and its contents caused the two Rovers much astonishment. The communication ran as follows:
”Have been following up the Lansing deal closely. Affairs are getting rather clouded and I am afraid we may lose out. A new opposition has appeared, a combination headed by your former friend, Waltham. He is still in the West but his agents are working against us. He has also bought controlling interest in the Haverford deal. Evidently means to hit us as hard as possible. Will know more in a day or two and will let you know at once of any change in affairs.
”ANDERSON ROVER.”
CHAPTER XXVIII
CLOUDBURST AND FLOOD
”I see it!” cried Tom. ”That's the spoke Chester Waltham told Sam he would put in our wheel.”
”I guess you are right,” returned his older brother. ”Evidently Waltham is a meaner fellow than I took him to be. Just because Grace would not put up with his ungentlemanly attentions he evidently is going to do what he can to make trouble for us.”
”I don't understand what dad means by the Haverford deal,” went on Tom, as he studied the telegram. ”I thought that deal was closed long ago.”
”They thought of closing it, Tom, but at the last moment something went wrong and the men who were going into the matter withdrew. That put a large part of the burden on our shoulders. We have at least forty thousand dollars invested in it. Now, if Waltham has bought a controlling interest, as dad says, he will be able to swing it any way he pleases, just as he may be able to swing the Lansing deal, too.”
”How much money have we got locked up in that? The last I heard it was only about eight thousand dollars.”
”When I left, dad said he expected to put in another twelve thousand, which would make a total of twenty thousand dollars, Tom.”
”Phew! Then that makes a grand total of sixty thousand dollars in the two deals. Chester Waltham must have a lot of loose money, if he can jump into deals as big as those are at a moment's notice.”
”Oh, a young millionaire like Waltham can get hold of cash whenever he wants it,” answered d.i.c.k. He ran his hand through his hair thoughtfully.
”This looks bad to me. Perhaps I had better take a train back to New York without delay.”
”Oh, if you did that it would spoil the trip for Dora,” protested his brother.
”It's better to spoil the trip than to let Chester Waltham get the better of us.”
”Why not send a telegram asking if it will do any good for you to come home?” questioned Tom. And after a little discussion d.i.c.k decided to do this, and the telegram was sent without delay. A few hours later word came back that if d.i.c.k was needed his father would send for him.